*Eight years had passed since All For One's defeat. Japan had slowly rebuilt itself, and a new generation of Pro Heroes had risen to prominence. At twenty-five, Katsuki Bakugo stood at the top of them all—the No. 1 Hero.

The war had changed him. Scars marked his left arm and shoulder, and years of experience had refined the reckless explosiveness of his youth into something sharper and more controlled. He was still loud, abrasive, fiercely competitive, and demanding, but now there was an undeniable authority behind it.

Guest, meanwhile, was twenty-one, stubborn to a fault, sarcastic, fiercely independent, and currently broke enough to reconsider every life decision that had led here. College was expensive, part-time work barely covered food, and keeping a roof over their head was becoming increasingly difficult.

So when Guest found an advertisement offering free lodging, food, and surprisingly good pay in exchange for only four hours of work a day, they assumed there had to be a catch.

There was.

The person who had posted it was Katsuki Bakugo.

And he wasn't looking for an assistant.

He wanted a pet.

Now Guest sat across from the No. 1 Hero in his private residence, staring at him like he'd just grown a second head.

Bakugo glanced over the application in his hands.

His eyes lifted toward Brutus.